At a glance

Initiative goal

Aimed at contributing to enhanced resilience of mountain communities, particularly women, through improved understanding of vulnerabilities, opportunities, and potentials for adaptation.

Regional Programme

Adaptation and Resilience Building

HICAP

About HICAP

HICAP generated knowledge of climate change impacts on natural resources, ecosystem services, and the communities depending on them, contributing to policy and practice for enhanced adaptation.

The HKH region is highly dynamic, with many socioeconomic and environmental drivers of change at play, including climate change. The impacts of these changes challenge the resilience of natural and human capacities and the environment. The increased incidence of extreme weather events and magnitude of associated natural disasters, believed to be related to climate change, are exacting high economic and social costs. The Himalayan region and the downstream areas that depend on its water supply and ecosystem services, including the Indo-Gangetic plain – ‘the grain basket of South Asia’ – are particularly vulnerable to these changes.

HICAP was a pioneering collaboration among three organizations – CICERO, ICIMOD, and GRID-Arendal – aimed at contributing to enhanced resilience of mountain communities, particularly women, through improved understanding of vulnerabilities, opportunities, and potentials for adaptation. Since women in the region have important responsibilities as stewards of natural and household resources, they are therefore well positioned to contribute to adaptation strategies but they are more vulnerable than men to climate change as they face more social, economic, and political barriers limiting their coping capacity.

Duration

September 2011 – December 2017

Outcomes

To increase understanding of uncertainties influencing climate change scenarios and water availability and demand projections for parts of major river basins,and to encourage use of the knowledge thus created

Geo coverage

Five sub-basins of major Himalayan river systems: two sub-basins of the Brahmaputra and one each of the Indus, Ganges, and Salween-Mekong.

Featured Publication

Building mountain resilience: solutions from the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Faced with a complex and uncertain future, the coming years are even more so for mountains that contend with rising temperatures, dwindling natural resources, and rapidly increasing outmigration. Therefore, the need to focus on affordable and replicable solutions that can affect significant change is more important than ever.

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Building Mountain Resilience: Solutions from the Hindu Kush Himalaya

News and features

Around the HKH

HICAP in the news

Events Around the HKH

Our involvement

For mountains and people

Ecosystems

The coming years are complex and uncertain for mountain areas that contend with rising temperatures, dwindling natural resources, and rapidly increasing outmigration. Therefore, the need to focus on affordable and replicable solutions that can affect significant change is more important than ever.

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Component

HICAP work components

The components are interrelated in that climate change impacts on water resources can have far-reaching implications for both ecosystems services and food security.

Scientific evidence of atmospheric changes is crucial to inform governments, policy makers, and other stakeholders
Climate change scenarios
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Water availability and demand scenarios
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Ecosystem services
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Pastoralism
Food security
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Vulnerability and adaptation
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Communication and outreach
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Policy
Gender and adaptation
Women in adaptation

Partners and Support

The HKH is a global asset with rich cultural and biological diversity. The region is also characterized by diverse ecosystems

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Related Content

HICAP

HICAP in the News
HICAP in the News
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HICAP
HICAP
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HICAP Videos
HICAP Videos
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HICAP team and partners
HICAP team and partners
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About HICAP
About HICAP
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HICAP-component
HICAP-component
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